Discover: Pharmaceutical Information

Discovering user's information needs and expectations is a vitally important step when working in any specialised subject area, none more so than in the field of pharmaceutical information. Adjusting search and sourcing strategies accordingly can save unnecessary time and expense, given the rising cost of subscriptions for periodicals and new media and the inherently expensive nature of niche pharmaceutical monographs and reference tests. The needs of the health professional pharmacist are generally accommodated via primary sources (specialist medical journals in particular), and, it should not be forgotten, informal 'delphic' information sources. But what about other users? Differing needs have traditionally converged around certain key reference sources in book/CD-ROM form and computerised abstract/index services. Now the Internet is becoming another focal point - its potential as a 'one-stop shop' for both technical and non-technical pharmaceutical information is being realised, albeit slowly. This article, then, has two aims: to cover both traditional and new sources and to offer something for everyone. This record was migrated from the OpenDepot repository service in June, 2017 before shutting down.